Information: Federal Court Arraignments

The United States Attorney’s Office announced that those persons listed below were arraigned before the U.S. Magistrate and the indictments handed down by the Grand Jury unsealed.

Appearing before U.S. Magistrate Anderson in Billings, on October 28, 2015 and entering pleas of Not Guilty were:

BRETT WADE CLOUSE, a 36-year-old resident of Absarokee, appeared on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. If convicted of the most serious charges contained in the indictment, CLOUSE faces life in prison, $10,000,000 in fines and five years’ supervised release. The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. PACER Case Reference. 15-127

MAYNARD PAUL CROOKED ARM, a 51-year-old resident of Crow Agency, appeared on charges of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and distribution of methamphetamine. If convicted of the most serious charges contained in the indictment, CROOKED ARM faces 20 years in prison, $1,000,000 in fines and three years’ supervised release. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. PACER Case Reference. 15-128

RINDA LEE MORGAN, a 42-year-old resident of Helena, appeared on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. If convicted of the most serious charge contained in the indictment, MORGAN faces 40 years in prison, $5,000,000 in fines and four years’ supervised release. The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. PACER Case Reference. 15-127

JESSE DALE VANHOOK, a 32-year-old resident of Missoula, appeared on charges of felon in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the charge contained in the indictment, VANHOOK faces 10 years in prison, $250,000,000 in fines and three years’ supervised release. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. PACER Case Reference. 15-23

Appearing before U.S. Magistrate Johnston in Great Falls, on October 28, 2015 and entering pleas of Not Guilty were:

SCOTT MITCHELL BUMMER, a 51-year-old resident of Helena, appeared on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. If convicted of the most serious charges contained in the superseding indictment, BUMMER faces life in prison, $10,000,000 in fines and five years’ supervised release. The case was investigated by the Russell Country Drug Task Force. PACER Case Reference. 15-46

ULYSSES GARCIA, a 26-year-old resident of Salem, Oregon, appeared on charges of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. If convicted of the charge contained in the indictment, GARCIA faces 40 years in prison, $5,000,000 in fines and four years’ supervised release. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. PACER Case Reference. 15-74

LLOYD THOMAS RIDER, III, a 28year-old resident of Great Falls, appeared on charges of felon in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the charge contained in the indictment, RIDER faces 10 years in prison, $250,000 in fines and three years’ supervised release. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. PACER Case Reference. 15-68

PETER MICHAEL RUSSETTE, a 37-year-old resident of Great Falls, appeared on charges of felon in possession of a firearm and obstruction of justice—witness tampering. If convicted of the most serious charge contained in the indictment, RUSSETTE faces 20 years in prison, $250,000 in fines and three years’ supervised release. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. PACER Case Reference. 15-67

Appearing before U.S. Magistrate Johnston in Great Falls, on October 27, 2015 and entering pleas of Not Guilty were:

KALVIN JOSEPH GOBERT, a 29-year-old resident of Browning, appeared on charges of sexual abuse of a minor. If convicted of the charge contained in the indictment, GOBERT faces 15 years in prison, $250,000 in fines and lifetime supervised release. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. PACER Case Reference. 15-75

If any of the above cases are of interest to your media organization and the community it serves, we encourage you to monitor the progress of the case regularly through the U.S. District Court calendar and the PACER system so that you stay current and not miss any important developments in the case.